SANTA MONICA, Calif., Dec. 4 (UPI) — A California doctor developed a four-step technique for soothing crying babies, entitled “The Hold,” which he shared in a viral video.
Dr. Robert Hamilton of Pacific Ocean Pediatrics in Santa Monica has dealt with many crying babies throughout his 30 years as a pediatrician. During that time he developed a calming technique called “The Hold,” which he demonstrated in a YouTube video.
“One of the challenges that pediatricians have in taking care of children is trying to communicate clear and precise information to their parents, often times over a baby who is crying very, very loud,” he said in the video. “I have utilized a technique that I call ‘The Hold’ over the years, which is very helpful in calming children and keeping them quiet.”
“The Hold” includes four basic steps: folding the arms across the chest, securing them gently, grasping the diaper area, and rocking the baby at a 45 degree angle.
The technique is most effective on babies between two and three months old and Dr. Hamilton told Today that the key to it’s success is how it emulate’s the feeling of being in the womb.
“You’re really kind of recreating the womb, if you will, and that kind of comforts them, plus the gentle movement,” he said.
The popularity of the technique has inspired parents to give it a shot, including a video posted to Facebook page Impossible Parenting where a mother tested the technique on her daughter.
“I think what I’m finding is this might be a good remedy if you want your baby to stop crying, even for a temporary amount of time,” she said.
Hamilton expressed disbelief at the popularity his method has achieved.
“I’m a little bit humbled,” he said “I never in my wildest dreams thought this would happen.”
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